The soldiers in Hexi County were either disabled from war or elderly. After touring the area, everyone was worried. If the Liao army broke through the Hebei military’s defenses, this place had no means of self-protection.
Seeing Wu Lingyuan staring blankly at the setting sun, Sui Yunzhu asked, “What are you thinking about, my lord?”
Wu Lingyuan snapped back to reality and joked, “I’m wondering how to write a surrender letter for the best effect.”
Li Qingzhi, not realizing it was a joke, frowned, “My lord, how can you think of surrendering to the Liao dogs before we’ve even fought!”
Wu Lingyuan smiled but didn’t explain.
As a blind scholar, Wu Lingyuan had experienced the darkest, most hopeless moments in life. If he could face those calmly, he certainly wouldn’t retreat at the first sign of difficulty now. He already had many plans for this place in mind, but the most urgent issues were solving the problems of city defense and population.
An Jiu had also considered these issues. “Defending the city doesn’t necessarily require strong, able-bodied people. Lou Xiaowu once designed many weapons that even the elderly and weak could use.”
Throwing bombs was something anyone with hands could do!
Wu Lingyuan immediately recalled Hua Rongjian mentioning someone in the Lou family skilled in mechanical weaponry. His eyes brightened, “That would be ideal. We can’t just fatten ourselves up like pigs waiting for the Liao bandits to slaughter!”
The others nodded in agreement.
In fact, Hexi County’s location and climate were quite favorable. With a stable environment to recover, it could quickly regain its vitality. But with annual Liao cavalry raids, they couldn’t rely solely on the Hebei military camp’s resistance. If the garrison troops were effective, Hexi County wouldn’t be in this state!
The Liao cavalry appeared and disappeared unpredictably. Without an excellent mobile force to counter them, by the time the main army responded, the cavalry would have already completed their looting and kidnapping. Even when Ling Ziyue led the army, such incidents couldn’t be completely avoided. How much worse would it be now?
Wu Lingyuan said, “Regarding the population issue, let’s check the household registers tomorrow before deciding.”
Sui Yunzhu suggested, “After natural disasters, many people become displaced. We could take in these people.”
Li Qingzhi scoffed, “Come on, I bet they’d rather starve to death than come here to feed the wolves.”
“How do we know if we don’t try?” Sui Yunzhu felt that relying on natural population growth was not a solution.
“I’ll go,” An Jiu said.
“You can’t go!”
“You can’t go!”
Sui Yunzhu and Li Qingzhi exclaimed in unison.
“The lord ordered us to protect you. If you leave, we have to follow. That would leave only the defenseless Lord Wu in Hexi County…” Li Qingzhi hurriedly explained, “Mo Shengyi’s martial arts are strong, but he has that mentally powerful Liao dog by his side.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a blur before his eyes. An Jiu’s dagger was already at his throat, and he didn’t even have time to react!
“You say you’re protecting me?” An Jiu mocked.
Li Qingzhi’s face instantly turned red. An Jiu had effectively slapped him in the face with her actions—how dare he claim to protect her with such skills?
Sui Yunzhu pushed away her dagger, “Fourteen misunderstood. The lord meant that more people make tasks easier.”
“I didn’t misunderstand his meaning. It’s Li Qingzhi who misunderstood,” An Jiu put away her dagger and made a decision that brooked no argument. “You’d just be a burden if you came along. I’ll go alone.”
And so the matter was happily settled!
However, An Jiu was the only one happy about it. Sui Yunzhu and Li Qingzhi’s faces fell. If Chu Dingjiang found out, they’d have to apologize with their lives!
Seeing this, Wu Lingyuan advised, “Let Master Sui accompany you. I don’t doubt Miss Fourteen’s abilities, but persuading people to come willingly requires a lot of talking.”
Fortunately, An Jiu could recognize her own shortcomings. Language was a skill. She was always good at putting others down but not at using words to stir people’s emotions…
After pondering for a while, An Jiu finally nodded in agreement.
Sui Yunzhu breathed a sigh of relief. Even if his combat skills were indeed inferior to An Jiu’s, he could at least be of some use if danger arose. At worst, he could promptly notify Chu Dingjiang to come to the rescue. It was more reassuring than letting her disappear alone under their noses.
Wu Lingyuan watched the birds foraging in the courtyard, his gaze calm and distant, but inwardly he couldn’t help but think: These liars.
Where were the promised expert guards?
Being tricked by his benefactor, what else could he do but accept it?
…
As all things revived, spring was in full bloom.
In a spacious courtyard in Xijin Prefecture of the Liao state, an ancient tree had just begun to sprout tender green leaf buds. This ancient tree had gnarled roots and countless layers of branches reaching towards the sky. Even though it hadn’t yet grown lush leaves, half the courtyard was already covered in shadow.
A man in loose robes reclined on a lounge chair, with a snow-white wolf skin beneath him and a thick woolen blanket covering his legs. His black hair was loose, the long strands trailing on the white fur, shimmering with a silky luster. A book covered his face, revealing only an exquisite yet angular chin.
Sunlight filtered through the dense bare branches, casting dappled shadows on the tree bark inscribed with characters.
“My lord,” a man in nomadic attire entered and bowed respectfully.
“Mm,” the man responded.
The nomadic man had learned enough of the Song characters to recognize the four characters on the book cover—”Crane Control Manual.”
Below the pages was a small character “Qian.”
This was the Qian scroll of the “Crane Control Manual,” the first volume, which recorded secrets about the Song Dynasty’s Crane Control Army.
“Your servant has received news that Hexi County has a new magistrate.”
Such trivial matters weren’t worth reporting specially, so there must be something else. The man removed the book, revealing his face with long phoenix eyes full of authority. Although the nomadic man had seen this face countless times, he still felt dazzled at this moment.
He was stunned for an instant before hastily continuing his report, “The spies have sent back news that Wei Yuzhi is traveling with the new magistrate, and that doctor Mo Sigui has also arrived.”
“Oh,” he smiled slightly and sat up. “This king is here to enjoy his twilight years, not to concern himself with such matters.”
He beckoned to a maid standing in the corridor to come and comb his hair.
The nomadic man said, “If my lord doesn’t manage these affairs, the Liao state will not be able to continue.”
His phoenix eyes narrowed lazily as his slender fingers lightly tapped the “Crane Control Manual,” making his emotions indiscernible.
This man was Yelü Jinglie, the Northern Court King of Liao, who had announced his abdication a month ago to “enjoy his twilight years” in Xijin Prefecture.
For the Yelü clan, living to one’s thirties was already considered old age.
“My lord, shall we secretly assassinate Wei Yuzhi?” the nomadic man asked.
The maid behind him trembled slightly, accidentally pulling Yelü Jinglie’s hair.
His expression didn’t change at all. He continued to squint at the tree branches and said calmly, “Take her out and deal with her.”
The maid didn’t even have a chance to say “mercy” before she was carried out with her mouth and nose covered.
“Two short-lived fools. I want to see what waves they can make,” Yelü Jinglie said. A fierce wind arose in his palm, like thousands of sharp blades, shredding the book into dust.
Watching the powder disappear with the wind, a faint smile appeared on Yelü Jinglie’s face. “Interesting things must be tried. Send a verbal message to Aning, tell her to come over.”